Pulverizing and smoothing harrow.



Patented May 26, 1914.

. DE A? i 6 dvwe'mtoz R. B. BERRY.

PULVERIZING AND SMOOTHING HARROW.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.18, 1913.

vbh'woogo COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD E. BERRY, OF PROVIDENCE DISTRICT, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

PULVERIZING AND SMOOTHING HARROW.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RroHAnD' E. BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the Providence district, county of Fairfax, and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pulverizing and Smoothing I-Iarrows, of which the following is a specification. l

The present invention relates to harrows, and the primary object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and practical structure of this character that will cut and pulverize the clods, lumps and the roughened surface of the ground where it has been plowed, will smooth the same after it has been pulverized, and will finally loosen up the soil, leaving it in a smooth loosened condition, so that it will more readily absorb and will retain the moisture.

A simple embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it will be evident that the claims are not limited to the exact structure illustrated.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the implement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on a slightly enlarged scale. Fig. 4: is a sectional view through the toothed harrow member. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the foremost drag bar, with a portion of the guard hood broken away. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through the same. Fig. 7 is a detail bottom plan view, illustrating the means for adjusting the wear shoes. Fig. 8 is a detail View, illustrating the assorted blocks for holding the drag bars in adjusted relation.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

As disclosed in the drawings, a frame is employed, which includes a pair of spaced side bars 9 preferably formed of angle iron with one of the longitudinal flanges turned outwardly. Arranged between these frame bars are transversely disposed drag bars. Each drag bar consists of a body 10 preferably formed of a wooden plank or board that is pivoted to the side bars by lag screws 11, or other suitable devices, which are passed through the vertical flanges of the frame bars and enter the ends of the planks Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 16, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914. Serial No. 785,044.

or boards near their front edges. The said drag bars are provided with metal shoes 12 preferably in the form of sheet metal plates that project a slight. distance beyond the rear edges of the bodies 10 and are held in place by bolts 13 which pass through said bodies and through slots 14, one of which is shown in Fig. 7 By this means, it will be evident that the shoes are adjustable upon the planks or bodies so that as they wear away,- they may be moved rearwardly. The said planks or bodies 10 are also preferably reinforced at their ends by'transverse straps 15 arranged upon their upper sides, the bolts 13 passing through said straps. It will also be noted that a pair of these bolts is arranged on opposite sides of each pivot, and is directly adjacent thereto, thereby preventing the breaking out of the wood, as might be the case unless provided with such a reinforcement.

For the purpose of holding the drag bars in different predetermined angles of inclination, rods 16 are passed through the frame bars 9 over the rear margins of the drag bars, being detachably held in place by nuts 17, or other suitable devices. On these rods are placed cylindrical blocks 18 that may be of different diameters, as will be evident by reference to Fig. 8. By employing sets of blocks of difierent diameters, it will be evident that the drag bars can be set at different angles of inclination.

The frame bars 9 are provided at their front ends with suitable hooks 19, to which draft animals may be hitched by any well known means. The rear ends of the frame bars are provided with eyes 20, and to these eyes are connected suitable links 21 that are attached to other eyes 22 mounted upon a toothed drag member 23. This drag member 23 consists of a plank or board 24, through which are passed suitable harrow teeth 25 preferably of the spike type. The board or plank 24 is reinforced by transverse straps 26 at its ends, to which the eyes 22 are secured, these straps being bolted, as illustrated at 27, or otherwise suitably fastened in place.

The pulverizer feature of the harrow comprises sets of cutting blades 28 and 29, which may be of different forms, those shown comwhich are passed pivot bolts 31.

prising double pieces of flat strips set on edge. Thus in Fig. 5, there are illustrated alternate U and V shaped members, the doubled ends being formed into eyes 30, through The pivoted ends are located in a guard hood 32 formed of sheet metal secured to the front edge of the foremost drag bar. This hood extends downwardly and rearwardly under the front portion of the drag bar, and the bolts pass upwardly througn the same, as will be obvious. The blades, it will be noted, extend rearwardly beyond this hood and be neath the drag bar. They are set on edge, and have free pivotal movement. As a result, they have an effective cutting action, are not liable to become clogged, and do not offer an excessive amount of resistance to the movement of the implement.

The operation of the structure may be briefly described as follows: \Vhen it is drawn over plowed or rough land, the drag bars having been first set at the desired inclination, it will be evident that the cutters will ride over the clods and lumps, cutting up the same and putting them in better shape for smoothing. The drag bars then operate to smooth the ground and the wooden bodies thereof are protected from wear by the metal shoes. Inasmuch as these shoes project slightly beyond the edges of the bars, con siderable wear can take place before there is danger of wear upon said bodies, and it will be furthermore evident that even after the projecting margins of the shoes are worn off, said shoes may be set rearwardly to further protect the boards or planks. The toothed harrow member 23 follows the drag bars which have produced a smooth surface upon the ground, as will be obvious. This smooth, somewhat packed surface, under some circumstances is objectionable, as it permits the ground to dry out rapidly and does not leave it in the best possible condition. The toothed harrow loosens up the earth again without roughening it to a material extent. It will thus be seen that the parts cooperate with respect to each other and with respect to the work to be done in cutting up the clods, leveling the ground, and finally leaving it in loosened condition.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame, of drag bars located therein, pivots extending through the frame into the drag bars, shoes located against the under sides of the bars, reinforcing straps located on their upper sides, and holding bolts passing through the straps, the bars and the shoes and being lo cated on opposite sides of the pivots.

2. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame, of a drag bar pivotally mounted therein, and a holding rod extending longitudinally over the bar and mounted in the frame for limiting the upward movement of the drag bar.

3. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame including spaced side bars, of a drag bar pivotally mounted on the frame bars and located between them, and a holding rod extending through the frame bars and longitudinally over the drag bar for limiting the upward movement of said drag bar.

4. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame, of a drag bar pivotally mounted therein, a holding rod extending longitudinally over the bar and mounted in the frame for limiting the upward movement of the drag bar, and means on said rod for holding the drag bar at different angles of inclination.

5. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame including spaced side bars, of a drag bar pivotally mounted on the frame bars and located between them a holding rod extending through the frame bars and longitudinally over the drag bar for limiting the upward movement of said drag bar, and blocks of different cross sectional area arranged to be placed on the rod for holding the drag bar at different angles of inclination.

6. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame, of drag bars mounted therein, and freely swinging cutter plates pivotally mounted at the front portion of the frame.

7. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame, of drag bars mounted therein, and freely swinging cutter plates pivotally mounted on the under side of one of the drag bars.

8. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame, of drag bars mounted therein, a guard hoodat the front portion of the frame, and cutters having their front ends pivotally mounted on the hood, said cutters projecting rear Wardly beyond the hood and being located beneath one of the drag bars.

9. In an implement of the character described, the combination with a frame comprising spaced side bars, of drag bars pivotally mounted in the frame, means for holding the bars. at different angles of inclination, a guard hood carried by the front portion of the foremost drag bar and extending my hand in presence of tWo subscribing below the same, doubled cutter blades hav- Witnesses, ing their front ends pivotally mounted in the hood and having spaced rear ends RICHARD BERRY 5 located beneath the foremost drag bar in Witnesses:

rear of the hood. B. G. FOSTER, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set P. H. Ross.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

